FT Wolfsburg 1-3 Manchester United: Michael Owen hat trick sees United win group

Michael Owen grabbed a hat-trick as Manchester United overcame the absence of 14 players to record a memorable win over German champions Wolfsburg.

The victory was a record 15th away game unbeaten in the Champions League and only United's third in 10 attempts on German soil.

More importantly, it confirms a seeding in the knockout round draw a week on Friday which in itself does not guarantee easier opposition but at least ensured Old Trafford will host a second leg rather than a first.

Sir Alex Ferguson went for Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher as his central defensive combination as his injury-hit Manchester United side tackled Wolfsburg looking to secure top spot in Champions League Group B.

With 12 players missing through injury, Ryan Giggs suspended and Ritchie De Laet ineligible, Ferguson was left to select a scratch side that also included Park Ji-sung at right-back.

Tomasz Kuszczak also kept his place in goal with United needing to keep out Erin Dzeko and company to collect the point required to finish top, or hope CSKA Moscow beat Besiktas in Istanbul.

Instead of taking up an orthodox full-back position, Park was handed a wing-back role, with Nani on the other side.

Park was soon sending in a searching cross too, which Wolfsburg cleared, before stand-in skipper Patrice Evra won a free-kick after a wrestling match with Grafite.

The Brazilian was soon shooting from the edge of the area, although Kuszczak was not really tested to make a save to his right.

With Wolfsburg enjoying the bulk of possession, it soon became clear if United were to cause any damage they would do so on the break.

Zvjezdan Misimovic was next to try his luck but again, Kuszczak got right behind a shot that took a minor deflection on its way through.

United were reasonably measured in possession themselves, with Darron Gibson discovering Park to be a useful outlet as he hugged the touchline, picking out the South Korean with a succession of crossfield passes.

Carrick was lucky to get away with a rash sliding tackle which took down Makoto Hasebe in the box, then Gibson, scorer of three memorable goals in the last week, failed to find the target from 25 yards after being given an opportunity by Paul Scholes.

Christian Gentner drove a shot into Evra as Wolfsburg picked up the initiative once more then, after Kuszczak had come for a corner and got nowhere near, Andrea Barzagli sent a free header fizzing over the bar when he really should have done better.

Misimovic was also off target when Sascha Riether crossed to the far post after charging forward on the overlap.

Dzeko collected Hasebe's cross-field pass and stepped inside Fletcher. But the angle was always against the Bosnian and he drove into the side-netting.

United had to make the most of what possession they did get, so Nani stepping inside Riether, then losing the ball on an uneven surface did not endear him to Michael Owen, who had pulled into space on the far side of the box.

Danny Welbeck had the ball in the net on the half hour but the youngster had strayed offside before collecting Anderson's pin-point through ball.

Kuszczak punched Gentner's cross clear as Dzeko closed in before he made a flying stop at his near post as Hasebe went for goal.

Having soaked up so much pressure, United hit their hosts with the ultimate sucker punch a minute before the break.

Owen might not be the tallest but he still knows how to find space.

And when Nani floated over a cross from the left, the former Liverpool hit-man found enough room to guide a header into the bottom corner.

Welbeck's under-hit lay-off meant Scholes did not have enough time to threaten the home goal on United's first foray forward of the second period.

But really, the test was to keep Wolfsburg out, the Red Devils knowing they had a safety net to rely on.

Still, Evra was at full stretch to cut out a Gentner's pass intended for Dzeko, then a sliding tackle by Anderson stopped Misimovic in his tracks.

Grafite was halted by a very marginal offside call as he burst clear of a United defence which now had Park dropping further back.

Evra intercepted Riether's cross at the cost of a corner, then the Frenchman booted clear when Dzeko failed to get clean contact on the set piece.

Ferguson must have expected the bombardment but the Scot must have been equally delighted with his side's tenacious response.

Carrick hammered away Marcel Schafer's cross but the respite proved to be shortlived as the full-back once again attacked Park down the left and this time whipped over a cross that invited a close range finish once Dzeko had got between Carrick and Evra.

Now United were living on their nerves and twice needed the assistance of an offside flag to keep the German champions at bay.

With 17 minutes remaining, Ferguson introduced Antonio Valencia and Gabriel Obertan for Nani and Welbeck, which meant his remaining outfield substitutes did not have a single first-team appearance between them.

Dzeko brought another smart save out of Kuszczak and Ricardo Costa headed the corner over as the clock continued to tick down.

A brilliant tackle by Evra denied Karim Ziani as the game entered its final 10 minutes.

United's fate was still hanging in the balance though. That was until Obertan weaved majestically through two attempted tackles and drilled a cross to the far post where Owen was waiting to tap home.

There was still time for Owen to add a third as he streaked clear of the home defence to complete his hat-trick.